


23. 'don't look'

by restmyheadatnightcontent



Series: febuwhump 2021 [23]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Injury, Found Family, Gen, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Soft Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:42:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29659125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/restmyheadatnightcontent/pseuds/restmyheadatnightcontent
Summary: “There must be something I can do! Some way that I can help! What’s the point of all this learning if I can’t do anything to help?” she cries. “What’s the point?”Yen’s face softens and she crouches down in front of her and cups her cheek. “Healing magic is complicated, and it takes years of practice and patience. Even I still find it difficult after all this time. It is never easy to see the ones we care about suffer, and it takes great sacrifice to step back when they are hurting to let someone else take care of them, but that it what I need you to do now. I know it is horrible, but I need you to be brave.”Ciri sniffs and nods. She can be brave. She is the Lion Cub of Cintra after all.
Relationships: Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Jaskier | Dandelion, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Series: febuwhump 2021 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139954
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	23. 'don't look'

**Author's Note:**

> a follow up to this with a bit of hurt geralt, worried ciri, mama yen & family fluff

Ciri is almost asleep by the time someone comes for them. She is not sure how much time had passed, but eventually her constant worrying had tired her out and now she was dozing, blinking herself awake every few minutes, determined to see them when they returned.

The silence of their makeshift camp was broken by the snapping of twigs just behind the tree. She sits up reaching for her dagger, seeing Jaskier do the same next to her. He stands in front of her, knife gripped tightly in his hand as a figure makes their way out from the trees. She breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that it is just Yennefer but Jaskier is still tense, and does not relax until he lays the flat of his silver blade against the flat of her hand, confirming that it is in fact Yennefer. Although Ciri’s heart drops again when she sees that it is just Yennefer, no Witcher in sight. 

“He’s alive,” she says, answering Ciri’s question before she could even ask it. “He’s alive but he’s been badly injured. I called Triss and we portalled him up to Kaer Morhen so he could get help.”

Ciri managed to relax slightly at the knowledge Geralt was alive. She doesn’t know what she would do if she were to lose him, but she does not need to think of that now. He’s alive, and he will heal. Especially with Yennefer and Triss helping him.

Jaskier quickly packs up their things and then the three of them, plus Roach, are stepping through a portal and into the keep. Once the dizziness passes and her stomach settles, she runs into the hall to see that Geralt has been laid down on the table, but she cannot see much more than that as everyone is surrounding him. All the Witchers are huddled around the table, as well as Triss, and none of them look up at her entrance. She makes her way towards the foot of the table and stops suddenly at the sight. Lambert and Cöen are holding Geralt down as Eskel pushes into his wound, Triss stands opposite him, hands moving quickly as she mutters incantations under her breath, Vesemir stands at Geralts head, holding his head still with one hand whilst trying to coax potions down his throat. But the thing that makes Ciri stop is the blood. There is so much of it, everyone stood at the table seems to be covered in it and yet more and more seems to flow from Geralt’s stomach. His entire torso seems to have been ripped open and she’s sure she can see his organs and—

“Don’t look at this, little one. You don’t need to see this,” a voice says as a hand comes to her shoulder and turns her so now she is looking at Yen.

“But – but I can help – I should stay and –” she says, trying to struggle from Yen’s grip and turn back towards the table.

“You can’t help,” she says bluntly “Not now. I know it looks bad, but we will fix it and he will be fine. Geralt would not want you to see this. The best thing you can do to help is to be ready and waiting for when he wakes up.”

“There must be something I can do! Some way that I can help! What’s the point of all this learning if I can’t do anything to help?” she cries. “What’s the point?”

Yen’s face softens and she crouches down in front of her and cups her cheek. “Healing magic is complicated, and it takes years of practice and patience. Even I still find it difficult after all this time. It is never easy to see the ones we care about suffer, and it takes great sacrifice to step back when they are hurting to let someone else take care of them, but that it what I need you to do now. I know it is horrible, but I need you to be brave.”

Ciri sniffs and nods. She can be brave. She is the Lion Cub of Cintra after all. 

“It will be alright, I promise, we just need to be patient. So go and get some food, have a wash and try and get some rest. I’ll come and get you as soon as he wakes up,” Yen reassures her, hand wiping away Ciri’s tears.

“Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on Jaskier and makes sure he doesn’t get himself into trouble,” Yennefer adds, sending her a wink and she lets out a small giggle at the indignant _‘Hey!’_ she hears come from the bard. He walks towards them, with a cheery smile plastered on fake and she notices the way he keeps his eyes fixed firmly away from the table.

“Come along then, Princess. Let’s go find something to eat, shall we?” he asks, holding out his hand. She glances up at Yennefer again, who gives her a small smile, before she takes his hand.

Neither of them pass comment on the way the others hand trembles as they make their way towards the kitchen. They sit and eat whatever they can easily find, neither of them feeling up to cooking anything. Once the food is finished, they head down to the springs and as sinks down into the water, the warmth envelopes her and she feels the tiredness from earlier return. After she clean and dry, she makes her way up to her room and collapses into bed. Jaskier comes and perches on the bed, running his hand through her hair.

“Stay until I fall asleep?” she asks quietly. If she cannot be with her whole family right now, she will take whatever small part of it she can.

“Of course, darling,” he replies, before softly singing her favourite lullaby, the one that her mother used to sing to her when she was a baby, and before long she is asleep.

*

“ _Ciri.”_

She blinks her eyes open at the sound of her name to find Yennefer looking down at her, her position almost identical to Jaskier’s before she fell asleep. She looks tired, there are flecks of blood on her face and dress, but she is smiling.

“He’s awake,” she says and Ciri blinks once more before throwing the blankets aside and rushing out the room. She runs and skids into the hall, only stopping when she sees a familiar pair of golden eyes looking at her.

“Hello, cub” he says, his voice hoarse and he sounds exhausted but she doesn’t care because he is awake and he’s _here._

She runs and throws her arms around his neck as tight as she can without disturbing his injury.

“I’m so glad you’re alright - I was so scared – there was so much blood and—”

“I’m okay,” he cuts her off, wrapping his arm around her. Ciri lifts her head from his shoulder to see his other hand is held tightly in Yennefer’s who is sitting on the other side of the table, with her other arm wrapped around Jaskier who is leaning against her side. He looks tired too, bags heavy under his eyes but he also has a wide smile on his face.

She turns back to Geralt and jabs a finger into an unbruided portion of his chest. “You have to promise to never get hurt and scare me like that again!”

He huffs out a small laugh at the pout on her face and says “I promise.”

“Good.”


End file.
